How to Print Labels That Line Up
Misaligned labels almost always come down to two different problems with two different fixes. Play with the sheet below until you can tell them apart at a glance, then use the checklist.
Scaling or offset? See the difference
Actual size, printer feeding straight: every printed label sits exactly inside its die-cut.
Diagnosis: Aligned. Print away.
The trick is to compare the first label with the last one. Scaling is a multiplication, so it barely moves the label nearest the corner the page shrinks toward and moves the far corner most. A feed offset is an addition: every label moves by the same few millimetres. Once you can see which one you have, the fix is obvious. If you like learning this way, ahaboo has narrated interactive explainers on how everyday things work.
Printing checklist
- Match the template to the pack. Use the product number on your label box (e.g. Avery 5160) and the right paper size, Letter or A4.
- Set scale to 100%. In the print dialog choose “Actual size”, “100%” or “None” for scaling. Turn off “Fit to page” and “Shrink oversized pages”.
- Margins: none / minimum. Chrome and Edge: More settings → Margins → None. Safari: turn off headers and footers.
- Print a test on plain paper. Hold it over a label sheet against a window. Every block should sit inside a label.
- Fix what you see. Growing error → scaling. Same error everywhere → enter an offset under Printer alignment in the editor (saved on your device).
- Load labels the right way up. Check which side your printer prints on with a marked plain sheet first.
- Choose the right paper type. Set the printer’s media type to “Labels” or “Heavy paper” so the rollers grip and the ink or toner settles properly.
Other things that go wrong
Ink smears
Glossy and vinyl labels made for laser printers will not absorb inkjet ink. Use inkjet-rated sheets (Avery usually labels them 8xxx) or let prints dry for a minute before handling.
Sheets jam or labels peel inside the printer
Feed one sheet at a time, never re-feed a sheet that has lost labels near the leading edge, and use the straightest paper path (rear or manual feed) if your printer has one.
Text is cut off at the edge
Most home printers cannot print the outer 3–6 mm of the page. Layouts with tiny margins, and designs that run right to the label edge, can lose a sliver. Keep text at least 1.5 mm inside each label.
Colours look darker than on screen
Screens glow and paper does not. Lighten dark backgrounds a little, and print one label to check before a full run.
Printing questions
Why are my labels printing too low (or too high)?
If every label is shifted by the same amount, the printer is feeding the sheet slightly off; use a printer offset. If the top row is fine and the bottom row is off, the print dialog is scaling the page; set it to 100% / Actual size.
Should I choose “Fit to page” when printing labels?
No. Fit to page (or “Shrink oversized pages”) scales the whole sheet by a few percent, and the error adds up down the page. Always print at Actual size / 100%.
Which way do I load label sheets?
It depends on the printer. Mark an X on the top edge of a plain sheet, print a test, and see which side and which edge the X printed on. Most rear-feed inkjets print on the face-up side; most front-tray printers print on the face-down side.
Inkjet or laser for labels?
Both work if the sheets match the printer: inkjet sheets have a coating for ink, laser sheets tolerate the fuser’s heat. Laser prints are smudge- and water-resistant; inkjet gives richer photo colour.
How do I print on a partly used sheet?
In LabelStudio, open Sheet & print and tap the first empty label on the sheet picture. Feed partial sheets carefully; the more labels missing, the more likely they are to curl and jam.